Doctors make public stance to improve Portland District Health

They include obstetrics and gynaecology specialist Mr Yasser Diab, ophthalmologist Dr Robert Harvey, general surgeon Mr Sanjaya Karunaratne, anesthetists Dr Jun Parker and Dr Peter Reid, physician Dr Elisabetta Puglisi, and cardiologist Dr Naveen Sharma.

But the Portland District Health board says improvements won't occur without embracing "necessary change".

An online petition backing the calls by medical staff has received more than 1300 signatures.

An extract from the petition reads: "We, the doctors of Portland District Hospital, are dismayed by the actions of the current hospital board.

"Their stated aim is to save money. Strangely the board is squandering scarce funds by employing numerous expensive medical locums.

"It seems the board wants to prove the hospital is not financially sound. This will inevitably lead to loss of some services or amalgamation with distant hospitals.

"We need junior doctors on the wards and in urgent care. These doctors get excellent training here but training is only recognised when supported by accredited permanent medical staff. No new or replacement permanent medical staff are being appointed."

READ MORE: 'Hands off Portland District Health': Napthine

Dr Harvey claims there's an underlying amalgamation agenda following the recent appointment of the Portland District Health board by Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley, where only two locals remain.

"Our chief executive has gone on indefinite leave, and may never come back again because she's been put in an impossible situation," Dr Harvey said.

"The board chairman, and several local members of the board were told by the department to resign, and then new people were appointed from out of town.

"They've said that they're still looking into it, they're trying to save money they say, but at the moment the budget is swinging more and more out of control."

Dr Harvey said the department had been ignoring requests for more staff and upgraded facilities.

The group is calling for $10 million in funding from the state government to appoint permanent senior medical staff and junior doctor training. They want to see the urgent care upgraded to full emergency department status.

Hospital board chair Peter Matthews admitted the service faced challenges that would take time to remedy, but denied plans for a merger.

"Improvements will not occur without a willingness to embrace necessary change," Mr Matthews said. "The board will continue to work in a measured way, based on credible, independent advice and on advice from the PDH executive."

The board commissioned independent external reviews on organisational culture and clinical governance, which are yet to be released to staff.

A financial management improvement plan is nearing completion, Professor Matthews said.

The department advised it had accepted the recommendations of the Hillis Report, also yet to be made public.

"It is well known that it is very difficult to attract medical specialists and GPs to regional and rural settings across Australia. This is not a challenge unique to Portland," Mr Matthews said.

"To maintain services at an appropriate level it is necessary to engage locums, as do many other health services. We continue to actively recruit subject to requirements set by the Department of Health.

"PDH will continue to explore partnership arrangements with neighbouring regional institutions - again this is not new; it is a sensible approach, a benefit to not only the Portland community but potentially to the south-west region.

"There is no substance to claims made by various parties that PDH will be closed, downgraded or amalgamated.

"PDH is one of the oldest hospitals in regional Victoria: we are here for the long haul."

The Victorian health department said funding to PDH increased by 21.8 per cent in the 2020-21 financial year.

It said service planning for the region up until 2037 had not recommended the establishment of an emergency department.

The department failed to answer how much had been invested into new staff and upgrading facilities at PDH in the last three years; how many permanent staff were employed and how many locums wee hired at PDH currently; and why the PDH chief executive Christine Giles was not currently acting in the role.

Do you know something about this issue? Email kyra.gillespie@warrnamboolstandard.com.au.

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